2 Enoch 48
2 Enoch 48
Section: Instructions to Sons
Translated by W.R. Morfill, ed. R.H. Charles (1896)
Of the course of the Sun throughout the seven Cireles
XLVIII. 1. The sun! goes in the seven circles of the
1 For the books are many and in them we shall learn al) the words ofthe Lord. Such as they are from the beginning of creation, so shall they be to the end ofthe world, A. 7? Keep strictly, Sok. * Heavens over the visible things, Sok. * A reads And He considered what is the water and the foundation of things that are not stedfast and, and transposes these words to end of verse. ° Sok.om. 7 Has filled earth and sea and the winter, A. ® Emended from And I cut, A; and (who) sowed, Sok. ° And I beautified, A. 3 Sok. adds and placed. ™ Aom.
XLVIII. ‘? He, Sok.
out, &c. Ps. civ. 2; Is. xl. 22; xlil, 5. Made firm the earth upon the waters, 2 Pet. iii. 5. 5. Who has numbered… the sand of the sea,
to you like my writings. Cf. Eth. En. xciii. 10. 3. But… not sin against God, Cf. xxxiii. 9; xlviii. ¥-9. This claim is analogous to that made in the Eth. En. xxxvii. 4; xcii.1; and the drops of rain. This is xcili. 10; ¢.63 civ. 12,13. Withthis drawn word for word from Ecclus. we may contrast Ecclus. xviii. 3 od#evt i. weTou ..
2 dppov Oadracohy Kai orarydvas
éfemoingey éfayyethat Ta Epya adrov. There is noother besidesthe Lord. Cf. Is. xlv. 5, 14, 18, 22. This is a favourite sentiment in the Sibylline Oracles. Cf. iii. 69
aurés yap péves éori Geds Koix
gor ér’ dAdos:
also iii. 760; viii. 377; Fragm. i. 7, i ie ee Sa nee 4, Stretched
. tis éfapOunoe; Cf. Is, xl. 12, and the oracle in Herod. i. 47 oida 8 eyo Ydppou 7 dpOudy xat pétpa Oadrdoons, and likewise recalls LXX Job xxxvi. 27 dpOpnrat 8é al’7@ oTayéves terov. Beautified the heavens. Cf. Ecclus. xvi. 27 éxdopnoey eis alava Ta Epya airov. XLVIII. 1. The text is corrupt
64 The Book of the Secrets of Enoch.
heavens, and I gave him! 182 thrones when he goes on a short day, and also 182 thrones when he goes on a long 2. And he has two great thrones on which he rests, returning hither and thither above the monthly thrones. From the month Tsivan ? after? seventeen days he descends to the month Thevan‘, and from the seventeenth day of Thevad* he ascends. 3. And so the sun goes through all the courses of the heaven *; when he goes near the earth, then the earth rejoices and produces its fruit; when he departs, then the earth is sad, and the trees and all the fruits 4. *All this by measure and minute
day.
have no development. arrangement of time He has arranged by His wisdom ®, both in the case of things visible and invisible. 5. He has made all things visible out of invisible, Himself being invisible. 6. Thus I tell you, my children, distribute the books to your children, in all your families, and among the nations. 47. Those who are wise let them fear God, and let them receive them *and let them love them more than
1 Which are the support of the, A. B omits ENTIRE CHAPTER. 2 Pamorus, Sok. 3 A om. * Thibith, Sok. 5 Hereby he gives a complete measure and with good arrangement of the times and has fixed a measure, A.
and unintelligible. According to xl. year, i.e. 3654: contrast xiv. 1. This
1; xxx. 3 the sun is in the fourth circle of the heavens and does not revolve through the seven circles. Again the twice-mentioned 182 thrones are really when added the 364 world- stations of which we have some account in the Eth. En. Ixxv. 2, i.e. ‘the harmony. of the course of the world is brought about through its separate 364 world-stations.’ These world-stations or thrones as in our text are the 364 different positions occupied by the sun on the 364 days of the year. Just as in the Eth. En. Ixxii-lxxxii and Jubilees iv no attempt is made here to get the complete number of days in the solar
passage therefore either belongs to or is built upon the oldest literature of Enoch. This reckoning of the year at 364 days may he due partly to opposition to heathen systems and partly to the fact that 364 is divisible by 7, and amounts to 52 weeks exactly. See Eth. En. 190-91. =. Tsivan … Thevad, The text is here corrupt. As apparently the two solstices are meant, we should read either Sivan … Kislev or Tamuz … Tebet. 5. Ch xxiv. 2 (note); xlvii. 2 (note). Has made here was no doubt érAace, not émoinge. 6.See XXxiii.9 (note). 7. Letihem love them more than any kind of food.
Chaplers XLVIII. 2—XLIX. «. 65
any kind of food?, and read them? 8. * But those who are senseless and have no thought of the Lord and do not fear God? will not receive them but turn away, and * keep them- selves from them *, * the terrible judgement shall await them 5. g. Blessed is the man who bears their yoke, and puts it on, for he shall be set free in the day of the great judgement.